Carnival Dream Takes to the Seas

The Carnival Dream departed on its inaugural cruise on September 21st. The 12-Day Mediterranean voyage was the first of three such voyages before it embarks on a trans-Atlantic crossing to New York.. Starting December 12th, it will begin year-round 7-day Caribbean cruises.

The Carnival Dream can accommodate 3,600 guests and introduces a host of new innovations including the Ocean Plaza, a stunning indoor/outdoor cafe and live music venue; the Lanai, and outdoor area featuring a wrap-around promenade and whirlpools suspended over the ship's side; and the largest Cloud 9 spa in the fleet. There are also new entertainment choices including a comedy club, outdoor laser show and an intranet guest portal, the first at-sea social network system.

A sister ship to the Dream is scheduled to for delivery in in June 2011

http://www.carnival.com/cms/fun/ships/carnival_dream/default.aspx?shipCode=DR

Disney Coming to Vancouver in 2011

Disney Cruise Line has announced that it will make Vancouver its home port for 18 Alaska cruises starting in 2011. This comes as welcome news to the Port of Vancouver which has seen several cruise lines discontinue or divert their Vancouver-based Alaska departures for 2010. Disney will make 18 seven-night sailings between May 3 and August 30, 2011. The Disney Wonder will visit Tracy Arm, Skagway adn Ketchikan. Disney will also operate five and six-night cruises from Vancouver to Los Angeles (and back) with stops in San Francisco and Victoria. Jeff James, vice-president of sales for Disney Cruise Lines, said their decision came as a result of demand from passengers wanting sailings to Alaska with Vancouver as a home port. "Our guests said Vancouver will provide them with the experience they are asking for," James said.

Cruise the Beautiful Wine Country of France

French wine lovers are about to get a treat.....seven new cruise-tours offered by Peter Deilmann Cruises that visit the French wine regions of Burgundy, Beaujolais, Maconnaise, and Provence. The trips will be operated by the 140-guest "Princesse de Provence" round-trip from Lyon. The 9-day itinerary includes seven shore excursions to family vineyards including Burgundy's Veuve Ambal vineyard for tastings and Avignon's Chateauneuf-du-Pap to taste red and white vintages. Departures run from May to October, and exclude August.

Award-winning Peter Deilmann Cruises has been offering deluxe river cruises for over 25 years. Besides wine, they also offer other special interest cruises such as music, golfing, cycling and walking, and health & wellness.

http://www.deilmann-cruises.com/theme/index.html

Celebrity Rolls out Anytime Dining

Celebrity Cruises introduced "Celebrity Select Dining" on August 31st, giving passengers greater flexibility in when they choose to dine. Passengers will still enjoy the same menu and service they would receive with traditional seating. Guests will have access to "anytime dining" starting with the September 26th sailing of the Celebrity Equinox. A full roll out fleetwide of select dining will occur during the first quarter of 2010. To see initial applicable sail dates for each ship, log onto www.celebritycruises.com

Vancouver Becomes World's Third Port to Offer Shore Power to Cruise Ships

Cruise ships docking at Vancouver Port can now significantly reduce marine diesel emissions by plugging into the city's electricity grid which uses mostly hydroelectric-generated power that is 90 percent nonpolluting. The port is only the third in the world to install shore power for ships (the other two are Seattle and Juneau). The $9 million project has been in the works since 2005, and is a collaboration between the Government of Canada, the British Columbia Ministry of Transportation, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, BC Hydro and Port Metro Vancouver.

Princess Cruises and Holland America Line have pioneered this technology within the industry and have invested heavily in outfitting their fleet with shore power equipment. Currently nine Princess Cruises ships and six Holland America Line ships have this capability. Port Metro Vancouver is the largest port in Canada and is the home base for the popular Vancouver-Alaska cruise.

2009 Top 10 Rivers for Cruising

If you would like to discover the magic of river cruising, Cruise Critic has put together the top 10 rivers for cruising in 2009.

1. Danube - storied landscapes, cultural heritage and centuries-old architecture of the Old World. You'll discover Europe's vineyard-lined valleys and beautifully preserved medieval towns in Germany, Austria, Hungary, Serbia and Romania.
2. Douro - visit restored palaces, places of pilgramage, cultural centres and vineyards in Spain and Portugal
3. Yangtze - see spectacular scenery and visit some of China's great historic landmarks
4. Rhine - incredible scenery from Alps to the North Sea, visiting Switzerland, Germany, France and Holland.
5. Rhone - this area through Provence and the south of France is renowned for fine wines and culinary delights
6. Nile - visit the sights of ancient Egypt
7. Murray - cruise through the Australian outback, visiting million-year-old gorges, golden sandstone cliffs and majestic red-gum forests.
8. Volga - travel scenic rivers, canals and lakes that connect Moscow and St. Petersburg
9. Mekong River - take in ancient cities, temples and natural wonders in Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand
10. St. Lawrence Seaway - visit Montreal and Ottawa, two of Canada's most storied cities.

http://www2.canada.com/topics/travel/activities/cruises/story.html?id=1764066

Uniworld's New Program for Epicurean Adventurers

For wine and food connoisseurs, Uniworld Boutique River Cruise is offering the new Epicurean Adventurer Program that will enable guests to indulge their passion for fine wines and gourmet foods. Guests aboard Uniworld cruises that feature this program will enjoy a special dinner prepared with the region's finests ingredients and then learn how to select the perfect wine to complement the meal. Guests will also participate in cooking demonstrations and learn trade secrets and techniques from master chefs. Guided shore excurisions take guests into vintners' homes where they can enjoy private wine tastings, or to open air food markets where they can sample local food treats.

Los Angeles-based Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection features intimate hotel-style cruise ships with expertly planned itineraries and custom-blended shore excursions. It offers 35 all-inclusive river cruises ranging from 9 to 32 days in over 20 countries throughout Europe, Russia, China and Egypt. Uniworld was named to Travel + Leisure's "World's Best Top 10 Small Cruise Lines"and Conde Nast Traveler's 2008 Gold List.

Will Alaska Axe the Cruise Tax?

Had Alaska voters known that their decision in 2006 to levy a $50-per-passenger head tax on cruiselines would result in the dramatic pullout of several cruise ships from the Alaska market -- including those of Royal Caribbean, Cruise West, Carnival, Norwegian and Princess -- they might have thought twice about passing this initiative into law. It is estimated that Juneau alone will suffer a $25 million loss for the summer of 2010. The number of calls to Sitka will fall 53% next year from 222 to 104.

Alaskans are obviously taking notice and a grass-roots effort is under way to overturn or amend the tax. On July 24th, the First Things First Alaska Foundation, a nonprofit organization that promotes economic development, sponsored a summit in Juneau to discuss what the state needs to do to woo travelers back, particularly cruise passengers. The summit attracted more than 230 people, including legislators, mayors, tour operators and business owners. The summit did not resolve any issues, but major recomendations were made including revamping the tax and implementing a new marketing campaign aimed at drawing travelers to Alaska. A second summit is scheduled for August 20 in Anchorage, with a third summit possibly taking place in Fairbanks in September.

Princess Offers Rare Opportunity to See Oberammergau Passion Play in 2010

Princess has recently added a special cruisetour opportunity for 2010 that includes a visit to see the famed Oberammerau Passion Play, which is performed only once each decade in this small Bavarian town in Germany. The new 18-day "Oberammergau & Highlights in Germany" tour includes a 10-day Scandinavia/Russia cruise aboard Star Princess, and an eight-day landtour that includes two nights in Oberammerau, tickets to this special event, and stops in other German destinations such as Black Forest, Munich, Nuremberg and Berlin.




The Oberammergau Passion Play is a re-enactment of the life, death and resurrection of Christ. Gripped by war and plague in 1633, the villagers of this southern Bavarian town vowed to put on a "passion play" every ten years. The descendants of those villagers have carried out that pledge over the last four centuries. In 2010, over 2000 residents of the village will bring the story of Jesus of Nazareth to life for visitors from all around the world. All cast members have lived in the village at least 20 years, and must grow their hair and beards for several months prior to the performance.

Cruisers who want to catch this exceptionally rare event have a choice of two cruise departures offered on August 2 and August 12, 2010. The eight-day land tour takes place prior to the cruise departure.

http://www.oberammergau-passion.com/

Cunard Hosts James Beard Foundation

Cunard Cruise Line recently hosted an exclusive foodie event for the esteemed James Beard Foundation aboard the Queen Mary 2. The four-course lunch was specially prepared by Cunard's Executive Chef Jean-Marie Zimmermann, and was meant to showcase the magnificent Queen Mary 2 and its wonderful cuisine. Zimmermann served as head chef at Warrener Restaurant in Berkshire for five years which earned him a Michelin Red M, and Egon Ronay Star and a Michelin Star and has been leading Cunard's cuisine since 2004.

The James Beard Foundation is a national not-for-profit organization based in New York City, dedicated to offering programs that help people learn about and engage with food. Is annual James Beard Foundation Awards are an esteemed honor in the culinary industry.

Princess Announces Vancouver-Sydney Cruise, Departing September 20, 2010

Princess Cruises recently announced the redeployment of the Sapphire Princess from the Mexican Riviera for a new 32-day cruise from Vancouver to Sydney, departing September 20th, 2010. This dream cruise includes stopovers in San Francisco, Hawaii, the Polynesian Islands and New Zealand, before arriving in Sydney on October 23rd, 2010 . This dream cruise went on sale July 31st, 2009.

Princess Unveils Leonard Maltin Movie Club

Princess Cruises has teamed up with celebrated film critic Leonard Maltin to give passengers another way to enjoy movies onboard, by joining the exclusive Leonard Maltin Movie Club. Debuting fleetwide, Princess will showcase a new film selected by Leonard Maltin every month on its giant Movies Under the Stars screens. Each movie will be preceeded by a special video introduction from Mr. Maltin. After the movie is over, cruise staff will host a group discussion guided by questions and trivia from Mr. Maltin, where passengers can engage in thought-provoking discussion and gain greater perspective on the film.

Princess revolutionized movie-going at sea five years ago with its giant poolside movie screens. The giant Times Square-style movie screens are available on eight ships, and will be available fleetwide by 2011. Mr. Maltin is best known as the resident film buff on the popular entertainment news program, "Entertainment Tonight" where he has appeared since 1982. Mr. Maltin himself will be traveling aboard a Princess ship to host his new Movie Club at a date to be announced later.

Norwegian Epic - One Step Closer

Accompanied by a fleet of six tugboats, the Norwegian Epic made its first venture out to sea on July 11th, 2009. The "Float Out Ceremony" began at 7am as the ship made its first journey down the Loire Estuary to its outfitting dock. This event represented a major milestone as the ship has now moved into its final stage of construction, and work on the vessel's interior can now begin.

The ship will incorporate high-design New Wave staterooms with dark woods and curved walls giving the cabin a sleek chic feeling throughout. The innovative ship will also include 14 restaurant choices, a 33-foot high rock climbing wall and the largest bowl slide at sea - the Epic Plunge. As for entertainment, The Norwegian Epic will feature some of the most avante-garde shows ever seen at sea, including the Blue Man Group in the 685-seat Epic Theater, and the interactive Cirque Dreams and Dinner where guests will marvel at acrobatic theater during the two-hour dinner performance.

And for the very first time, a cruise ship will feature an ice bar, where the temperature inside is kept at a very cool 17 degrees fahrenheit (-8 degrees celsius) and guests are given coats and gloves to keep warm. Or for a little more spice and sizzle, guests can dance to the latin beat in Spice H2O Club.

The Norwegian Epic is scheduled to be delivered in May 2010, with its first sailing from Miami scheduled for July 17, 2010. The ship will alternate Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries until April 2011.

Top 10 Cruise Lines in the World

Travel + Leisure Magazine recently unveiled its ranking for the Top 10 Cruise Lines in the world (large ship category), as rated by its readership. Surveys were conducted by Harris Interactive, an independent research firm, from January 15, 2009 to March 29, 2009. Cruise lines were rated, based on "characteristics" such as cabins, food, service, itineraries/destinations, activities and value. Included in the ranking are each cruise line's ranking in 2008.

Rank	'08	Name	Score
1	1	Crystal Cruises	88.94
2	2	Regent Seven Seas Cruises	86.02
3	4	Oceania Cruises	81.78
4	3	Disney Cruise Line	79.93
5	-	Azamara Cruises	78.95
6	6	Celebrity Cruises	76.70
7	7	Holland America Line	75.92
8	-	Cunard	75.84
9	8	Princess Cruises	74.24
10	9	Royal Caribbean International	73.00

http://www.travelandleisure.com/worldsbest/2009/

Social Networking at Sea?

When Carnival Dream debuts on September 21st of this year, it will be the first ship in the industry to feature an onboard intranet portal. Dubbed FunHub, this social networking site allows guests to create a personal profile that helps them meet and interact with others onboard. In addition, guests can send and receive private messages, create groups based on interests, and invite guests to participate in onboard events.

Designed as a convenient resource for wide-ranging information specific to the ship, FunHub includes information on entertainment options, daily events, restaurant menus, plus weather updates for the next port of call and the latest news and sports scores.

FunHub will be available via 36 state-of-the-art stations around the ship. Guests may also access the intranet portal free of charge via any personal laptop or Wi-fi enabled device. The ship also rents 10-inch netbooks that can be used anywhere on the ship.

Narwhals, Polar Bears, and Seals.....A Journey to the Arctic with Cruise North Expeditions

Cruise North Expeditions offers an eight-night "Baffin Adventure" voyage which delivers guests to the most far-flung pockets of the Canadian Arctic, including Baffin Island's arctic tundra, northern Labrador's fjords, and Lancaster Sound's narwhal-inhabited waters. This is Inuit country, and the Inuit offer a welcome mat to the some of the most remote communities where you can visit Inuit villages, trek across tundra and hike among caribou, and take zodiak rides and kayak rides in polar bear and orca-inhabited bays.

Cruise North is Inuit-owned and operated, and its expeditions allow a remarkable touch point to the local culture and this region's striking landscape and wildlife. It is the only cruise line to specialize exclusively in Canadian Arctic cruises, and earned the designation of "Best Adventure Travel Companies 2009" by the editors of National Geographic Adventure Magazine. Cruise North offers a variety of itineraries throughout the summer months.

For more information, visit:
www.cruisenorthexpeditions.com

Canyon Ranch Spa at Sea

Cunard's Queen Mary 2 recently extended its five-year relationship with award-winning Canyon Ranch SpaClub, announcing that it had added a host of new treatments and services in the process. New treatments include Voya Seaweed Treatments with seaweed harvested in Ireland for use in body detoxification; and Detoxifying and Revitalizing Rituals, based on the skin care practices of traditional hammam bathhouse products. In addition, the SpaClub offers an array of rejuvenating spa treatments including massages and thereapeutic bodywork, ayurvedic and seaweed treatments, facials, conditioning body scrubs, and the signature Rasul Ceremony, a medicinal mud and steam thereapy derived from ancient Middle Eastern cleansing rituals.

Besides spa treatments, Canyon Ranch also offers daily fitness, yoga and tai chi classes; and healthy lifestyle experts are onboard to discuss wellness topics ranging from stress management to lifestyle change and healthy aging. Canyon Ranch was Conde Naste Traveler's "Top Spa" in 2007.

Celebrity's Autumn Wine Cruises

For those who enjoy the finer things in life, Celebrity is offering two Pacific Coastal wine cruises this September that will allow guests to take in scenic landscapes and explore the fertile wine-growing regions of Canada, Oregon, Washington, and California. This cruise experience will include wine-centric shore excursions, wine enrichment seminars with notable guest speakers, and themed wine events, such as "Grand Cru" wine dinners, "Walk Around the World Wine Tasting", and a "View of the Vineyards." Shore excursions include wine tastings at Stonestreet Winery, Alexander Mountain, and Jackson Highland Estates.

Celebrity is offering two wine cruises this fall, both departing from Vancouver. Choose from an 11-night aboard Celebrity Mercury departing October 12th, or a 12-night aboard Celebrity Millennium departing September 28th.

Taylor's Tunes Rock the Boat

Legendary singer/songwriter James Taylor recently performed two standing-room-only shows aboard the Queen Mary 2. Taylor had them dancing on this June 19th transatlantic crossing from New York to Southampton, England. During the cruise, guests got a more intimate look at the life of an American icon during the Q&A session and a two-hour autograph session afterward. Taylor will kick off a 10-week 22-concert tour visiting nine European countries.

Spotlight on Ho Chi Minh City

There's something special about visiting an Asian city on the river, steeped in history and lore. Ho Chi Minh City has earned the nickname, "Paris of Asia" for its colonial architecture and elegant boulevards. However, the former Saigon's charms also come in ancient pagodas, bustling Asian markets, and thrilling pedicab rides through narrow streets. Visit this magical city aboard Royal Caribbean's Legend of the Seas, or on one of Oceania Cruise's Asian itineraries.